


Unspoken Truths

by sten06



Series: Gay Panic One-Shots [2]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Flirty Lena Luthor, Its fun and delicious, Kara is oblivious and flustered, Lena can read minds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-08-22
Packaged: 2018-12-12 03:18:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11728383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sten06/pseuds/sten06
Summary: If you’re familiar with the movie ‘What women want’ (Mel gibson/Helen hunt) this is a play on that – essentially due to a small accident in her lab, Lena gains the ability to hear women’s thoughts. This leads to a particularly fun encounter when Kara Danvers comes to interview her ;)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Posted on tumblr originally, but I'm working on a follow up, so there will be another chapter... perfect for ao3

The lightning flashes outside: bright, sizzling, burning. Lena can hear the distant rumbles of thunder despite her dungeon location, the basement lab of L-Corp, far away from any storm or any interruptions. She’s so close to finishing her work – a few more tweaks, and she’s sure she’s got it this time. A quick adjustment, a turn of a screw, and– **  
**

CRASH!

The thunder quakes above, rattling the entire building, and the lab goes dark and silent. A power outage. Of course.

“Shit!” Lena throws her goggles down in disgust, tossing them haphazardly aside, hearing them land but quickly losing sight of them in the darkness. She begins blindly shuffling across the room, bumping into tables and chairs, feeling along the wall for the door to the storage closet, where the back-up generator is located. She quickly pulls out her cell phone, using it as a flashlight, before finding her target.

She reaches toward the panel, fumbling with wires, deftly working and not really thinking about the trace amounts of the rare element still caking her gloves. Her only prerogative is getting through this quickly so she can get back to work. A frayed wire pokes out, and she reaches for it, just as another loud clap of thunder sounds overhead.

Somewhere in the distance, lightning strikes at just the right moment, sending a perfect current through the remaining wires, shooting through Lena’s outstretched hand, shocking her entire body with fierce, hot electricity.

An hour later, she wakes up on the floor of the lab, dazed and confused, but otherwise, unharmed. The lights are still off, and she struggles to regain her footing. She clenches and unclenches her fingers, finding them tingly from the electrocution, but seemingly functioning.

“That was lucky…” she breathes to herself, shaking her head at her own reckless behavior.

When she finally returns home, still rattled but mostly composed, she’s buzzing with strange, palpable energy. It isn’t until the next morning that she finds out just how lucky she really is.

* * *

Lena walks into L-Corp, coat drawn tight, sunglasses still on in an attempt to cover the bags under her eyes. She thinks she slept last night, but it feels like she hasn’t rested her head in ages. Hank, the security guard, greets her warmly, the way he always does.

“Morning, Ms. Luthor!” he bellows, nodding happily, as she glides across the lobby.

“Morning, Hank,” she replies quickly, looking at him and offering a tight lipped but professional smile. Normally she’d stop and chat, but she’s feeling on edge and severely under caffeinated. She hopes he understands.

“Have a wonderful day!” he chortles, unaffected, whistling softly under his breath. She relaxes as she continues past him into the waiting elevator.

She steps out onto her floor contemplating her coffee order when her assistant walks up.

“Ms. Luthor! Good morning! I left those files you asked for on your desk!”

_Sunglasses still on? This is going to be a long day._

Lena stops short, staring at Jess, clenching her jaw. She slowly removes her sunglasses and casts a tired snarl. The comment is completely out of character. She folds the glasses and places them in her bag.

“T–Thank you, Jess,” she responds, bewildered, but choosing to ignore it. It’s too early to be nit-picky and there’s a high probability she didn’t even hear her correctly.

_Gosh, I bet her perfume costs more than my apartment._

“Jess, don’t be silly, it’s Vera Wang.” Lena says tiredly, fumbling with her cell phone and hardly paying attention. She’s beginning to walk toward her office door with Jess following timidly.

“Excuse me?” Jess asks, startled.

“My perfume.”

“I didn’t–” Jess looks around flustered and obviously distraught. “I didn’t say anything about your perfume, Ms. Luthor.”

_Has she slept at all this week?_

Lena turns and stares at her assistant, who is peering at her with wide, curious eyes, but firmly closed lips. Lena studies her.

_Why is she staring at me? Oh god, do I have a stain on my shirt? No, come on! This is a new shirt. Please don’t fire me._

Jess fumbles awkwardly, trying to be subtle about checking for stains. Lena finds it endlessly amusing, even though part of her feels bad for her assistant’s state of panic. “Are you okay, Jess?”

“Yes, Ms. Luthor. Are you?”

_Why is she being so weird?_

“I’m–” Lena pauses, racking her brain for a possible explanation. It seems like she can hear everything, and it’s jolting, to say the least. “Yes, I’m fine. Thank you Jess, that’ll be all.” Lena turns slowly to head into her office, before hearing her assistant’s voice again.

_She’s totally going to fire me._

Lena whips around. Jess isn’t facing her, and doesn’t appear to be speaking at all.

Okay, that’s odd, Lena thinks to herself. She wouldn’t say that out loud. But there’s no one else here?

“Jess?”

Her assistant’s shoulders rise, as if she’s caught in the act of sneaking away, and Lena catches the last part of a wince as she does.

“I really like that shirt you’re wearing,” Lena offers, smiling gently at her soft spoken and clearly terrified assistant. “And you’re really doing a great job here. I appreciate it.”

“Thank you, Ms. Luthor.”

* * *

She sits at her laptop, staring at endless e-mails, not registering a thing but the panic in her head. Something happened last night. Something ridiculous, that’s for sure.

Lena rewinds everything from last night – the thunderstorm, the power outage, the shock. She replays her conversation with Hank, who is the first person she spoke to that morning. Their encounter was brief, but nothing out of the ordinary. The situation with Jess, however, was absolutely unnerving. It was like reading her mind, and Lena has no idea how far this power might extend.

A notification goes off, alerting her to her 9AM meeting – an interview with none other than CatCo’s own ball of sunshine, Kara Danvers.

“Oh, no, no, no…” Lena whines, running her hand over her hair in exasperation. “Anyone but her. If I can hear her thoughts…”

Lena is terrified what might happen if she can hear the inner workings of Kara Danvers’ mind. She’s already busy fighting a losing battle against a persistent and stubborn crush on the charming blonde reporter, and having direct access to something like that would be impossible to contain. Though, on second thought, she can’t help but be mildly curious. After all, there is a charged energy between the two of them, one that Lena swears she isn’t making up. Perhaps this would help her determine where things really stand.

“Or, I could, you know, ask…” Lena criticizes herself sharply for being so hesitant. It isn’t her usual style to be so reserved, but Kara makes her feel things she didn’t know she could feel. It’s overwhelming, and wonderful, and terrifying all at once. The last thing she wants to do is scare her off.

Jess is ringing her to let her know of Kara’s arrival before she can even think to cancel the meeting, and it seems like everything is going to have to go on as planned. Lena sighs.

“Send her in, Jess.”

_I wish she’d just ask her out already._

Lena’s cheeks burn as she hears her assistant’s thoughts through the phone. She knows for a fact Jess would never say that out loud, and Lena immediately gulps down all her nerves, trying frantically to get it together before having to face Kara.

Kara Danvers walks in moments later, fresh faced, golden haired and smiling, and Lena’s heart forgets how to function. There’s no way she’s going to survive this interview. She clenches her jaw, and stands to greet her, extending a hand that she wishes would stop shaking.

“Ms. Luthor,” Kara announces, holding out a hand and smiling. Lena takes it in hers and marvels at how soft it feels. She’s so busy contemplating what holding Kara’s hand would really feel like that she almost forgets about her current predicament. Until it comes through loud and clear.

_She is so stunning._

Lena jolts awkwardly, pulling her hand back as if she’s being scalded. The entire motion forces her to gesture with a limp wrist at the chair in front of her desk in order to recover.

“Please, call me Lena,” she insists, sitting down in front of Kara, her entire body shivering with the idea that Kara Danvers thinks she’s stunning. “It’s good to see you again, Ms. Danvers.”

“Well if I’m calling you Lena…”

_Lena. It’s such a beautiful name. Lena, Lena, Lena._

Lena holds up her hands in playful surrender, heart pounding in her ears. “Kara it is.”

Kara gets situated, hiding behind eyes that seem to see through everything. Lena feels vulnerable for no reason whatsoever, considering she’s the one with the definite advantage. Kara’s thoughts ring out again.

_Her hair looks so good like that._

Lena sits up a little straighter, her chin tilted upward in pride under the silent compliment. She wonders if these are truly Kara’s thoughts, or simply what she wants to hear. She can’t know for sure – though she begins to feel a small pang of guilt pulling at her at the idea of invading such a private moment.

What is happening to me? She shakes her head slowly, wrestling with the implications and trying to regain control of her own existence.

Kara watches her patiently, the warm, inviting smile present on her face as she lays out her notebook and crosses her legs, preparing for their interview.

_But I also really love it down. She looks so beautiful with her hair down._

Flustered, Lena runs her fingers through her hair, and then decides spontaneously to pull it down. The tendrils unfold in wavy, black locks, and she shakes her hand through it several times to get it to fall properly.

“Forgive me, Kara. I was getting a bit of a headache,” Lena explains, smiling as she detects a blush come across Kara’s cheeks.

“Oh–No, that’s fine. I want you to be comfortable, of course!” Kara answers quickly, and Lena relaxes.

_Down is definitely good. I wonder what shampoo she uses. Probably something exotic. Okay, stop. Focus Kara!_

Lena can’t help but smirk proudly before steering them to the point of this meeting.

“So, Kara, what is this piece for, exactly?”

“Oh, right! Well, we’re doing a piece on women in technology, and of course, the first person that comes to mind is the leader of one of the most notorious tech companies in the world!” Kara explains proudly, gesturing to Lena with a slightly awestruck expression.

“Well, that is certainly the image we’re hoping to convey,” Lena agrees, solemnly, pulling back to the gravity of the situation. She knows discussing the company needs to be her primary objective in order to begin to steer the direction away from the former Luthor mantle. “I’m flattered that you came to me.”

_I’m just happy you agreed to see a rookie reporter. I hope I look official. Where are my questions? I wrote them down. Oh no, did I leave them at home?_

Kara pokes around in her bag and Lena tries to hide her smile. “I’m also thrilled to see you decided to give reporting a shot,” Lena speaks calmly, attempting to calm Kara’s nerves. “Between you and me, you’re already one of my favorites.”

_Her favorite? She’s just saying that. Why is she so nice?_

Kara giggles nervously, adjusting her glasses as she scrunches her nose at the compliment.

“–And I’m not just saying that!” Lena continues, responding to Kara’s blatant doubt, “We get a lot of reporters coming through here as you can imagine. But none quite as charming as you.” Lena bites her lip slightly, and Kara’s jaw hangs open as she struggles to regain her composure.

She begins talking, finally, asking questions to gain general background information about L-Corp. Lena answers swiftly, watching Kara’s forehead crinkle in concentration as she takes notes.

Kara glances up after a while, scrolling through her notes, before her eyes reach Lena’s. Lena watches as they trail over her nervously and the way Kara’s cheeks immediately flush. Lena watches with pleasant curiosity.

_Don’t look at her chest…don’t look at her chest…_

Lena leans forward subtly, fully aware of the way her shirt is hanging, and the way the neckline plunges. She has her arms positioned in such a way to create a particularly cruel view for Kara. She cocks her eyebrow and waits.

_Ohhhh no. I did it again. Why does she have to wear that shirt though?_

Kara’s eyes flicker nervously to Lena’s, before going back to her notebook, her head hanging in adorable shame.

Lena chuckles under her breath, leaning back again, thoroughly enjoying the effect she seems to be having on Kara. It isn’t fair, and she promises herself to stop, but oh, it’s so deliciously tempting.

Kara manages to pull herself together and ask several more pointed questions that force Lena to articulate the depths of her research. Midway through her explanation, she’s interrupted by Kara’s inner monologue.

_She’s really brilliant._

Lena smiles in spite of herself, chuckling softly, before realizing the comment wasn’t made out loud. She clears her throat and continues explaining the transmatter portal, and the theory behind quantum entanglement.

_I don’t know what she just said…quantum…_

“Did you get all that? I’m probably rambling. I know it’s a lot to take in,” Lena says, waiting for Kara to catch up.

_It would help if your lips weren’t so distracting._

Lena stops speaking, surprised at the boldness of the thought, her lips twisting to the side in a soft contemplative pout as she regards Kara. She watches her frantically writing, and she waits patiently for her to realize there’s silence. Kara slows down, and looks up, blinking like a deer in the headlights. Lena jumps on the opportunity.

“Kara, would you like to have dinner with me? Tonight?” Lena asks, her confidence rising steadily as she watches Kara drop her pen in complete and utter surprise.

_Dinner with Lena Luthor. Me and Lena. Dinner. Alone. Is this like…a date? A date with Lena. Oh! Answer her. Answer her!!_

“I–Dinner. I love dinner!” Kara yelps, and Lena’s eyebrows raise in surprise.

“I’m a fan of dinner myself…” Lena starts, glancing up at Kara, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “So is that a yes?”

“Yes! Absolutely, of course. Dinner, with you! Yes.” Kara shakes her head enthusiastically.

“How’s 7pm?” she slides a piece of paper across her desk slowly, “Give me your address, and I’ll come get you.”

“Yes, 7pm is great!” Kara says, scribbling her address down frantically, before giving it back to Lena. “It’s a date!”

_Shoot. Is it? Oh why did I say that? What if that’s not what she meant?_

“It’s absolutely a date.”

Lena can’t hide the beaming smile that bursts forth across her face. This is truly lucky, indeed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The date ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Supercorpweek2k17 ...this counts as a reveal. I do what i want.

It’s been awhile since Lena has had a _date_ \- an actual, honest to goodness date with someone she doesn’t mind spending time with. Someone who doesn’t have an additional agenda pertaining to her last name. Sure, she’s been out to countless dinners recently, mostly corporate affairs where her dress is too tight, her movements too deliberate, her company too predictable. It’s a lot like following a tragically boring movie script, her lines so ingrained and memorized that she can perform them in her sleep, putting on a play for a faceless audience. It’s a trademark to her style that she somehow always remembers to use a bit of emphasis just for color. A smirk here, a wink there - all for other purposes than her own social enjoyment. It’s tiring, and maddening, and so tempting to just let that facade slip for one blessed night.

Enter Kara Danvers.

Kara Danvers is a lot of things - charmingly mysterious, delightfully flustered, and absolutely radiant, but manipulative? Even Lena’s most skeptical doubts are coming up short to find ulterior motives here. There’s always the chance, Lena acquiesces, that Kara could be playing her for an absolute fool, but it’s also the reason why Lena isn’t feeling _as_ guilty about her hidden superpower. Call it stubborn insecurity. Call it “been there, done that”. Or really, just call her mother. It’s the reason most of these nagging doubts linger well into adulthood.

 _A Luthor can rationalize just about any poor behavior_ she tells herself, the disgust curdling in her stomach at the thought.

She plans to tell Kara eventually. She does. This can’t go on forever, and she knows it. But, when a Luthor gets close to anyone outside of business, they have to be on guard, and what better way than to have an insight into someone else’s thoughts?

 _It’s so wrong_ , Lena argues with herself for the hundredth time this afternoon, rubbing her temples in exasperation. _I should cancel. I should try to fix this, and then reschedule. I should…_

Lena pauses, closing her eyes tightly and picturing Kara’s beaming smile, and the way her cheeks flushed crimson when she was caught thinking about Lena’s lips.

 _But there is just so much more I need to know_.

Screw it.

She checks the time. 5:30. Just enough time to head home, fret over her outfit, berate herself several more times for going ahead with this plan, which will leave just enough minutes to ultimately cave to a blonde reporter’s bashful giggle and soulful blue eyes, throw caution to the wind and pick up her gorgeous date.

Perfect.

“Jess?” Lena calls out, hoping her assistant is nearby to make quick work of her request.

Her assistant opens her office door timidly, peering at her with a shy smile. “Yes, Ms. Luthor?”

“Hi, did you make that reservation for tonight?” Lena asks, idly closing tabs on her laptop and shuffling papers in preparation for her departure.

_Of course I did - I’ve been wanting to do this forever! It’s about time you two went out._

Lena’s eyes flash in amusement as she grins, before turning away to hide her obvious eavesdropping.

“Yes! You’re all set. I even called them an hour ago to confirm. You’ll have that table you like, near the back, and I asked them to let you use the side entrance.” Jess nods emphatically, proud of herself.

“Perfect. Have I mentioned how great of a job you’re doing?” Lena grins appreciatively. “That’ll be all. I’m heading out soon, so feel free to take off for the night too. I’m sure you have plenty more exciting things to do on a Friday night.”

_If this goes well, maybe you’ll actually stay home on a weekend for once._

“Thank you, Ms. Luthor,” Jess nods and smiles, “Have a great time!”

Lena sits back in her chair and shakes her head, smirking as her assistant leaves the office. She’s sassy behind that sweet exterior. Lena decides she needs to get to know Jess better, because that attitude is going to come in handy in this business.

* * *

Several hours and fifteen outfit changes later, Lena is at Kara’s door, holding a bouquet of bright yellow and red tulips in one shaking hand and hesitating with her other in preparation to knock. _Well, here goes nothing._

“Lena!” Kara practically yelps as she opens the door, her eyes wide with what Lena can only presume is excited shock, and not forgetful “oh-shit-we-had-plans” shock.

“I--Is this still a good time?” Lena asks, genuinely hoping she didn’t miss a message from Kara calling to cancel.

“Of course! Yes!” Kara says waving her arms and adjusting her glasses. “Perfect.”

Lena stares at Kara gently and is mildly horrified for a few seconds when she realizes Kara’s mind is completely blank. _That’s not quite the impression I was hoping to make_ , she languishes, trying to hide her disappointment. _Perhaps the effects have worn off and I can no longer hear anything_.

It’s a disappointing realization, even if she knows it’s probably for the best. It would explain Kara’s lack of a reaction, at least. Somehow, that’s comforting. The butterflies in her stomach flutter and dance in happy protest, a reaction Lena is loathe to admit comes just as much from fear of the unknown as it does from unadulterated attraction. Kara is absolutely stunning, though, and Lena can’t help her wandering eyes from scouring every curve and inch of her body, absorbing her chiseled features and the way her dress clings to her in all the right places. She sighs in happy contentment before she hears it.

_Is it too late to cancel? I don’t think I can do this._

Lena’s brow furrows as she considers the thought, self consciously crossing her arms and trying to hide more of herself than originally intended. Clearly, she can still hear Kara’s thoughts, and just as clearly, this isn’t going well. She opens her mouth, intending to offer Kara an out, when Kara’s mind interrupts her.

_That dress. That… oh. Oh wow._

Lena had finally settled on a red dress that made her matching lipstick pop, one that manages to hang off her shoulders in just a way to reveal the perfectly elegant lines of her neck. Kara swallows, her jaw hanging somewhat loosely as she continues gawking.

_She is too gorgeous. I can’t even look her in the eye. How am I ever going to get through this? Oh no, no, no…_

Lena bites her lip in an attempt to bite back the startled laugh threatening to erupt from her lips. Relief cascades over her, a warm, pleasant vibration that immediately eases all her tension. She stands up straighter, and hands Kara the flowers with a soft, tentative smile.

“These are for you,” Lena says quietly, “I hope you like them.”

“I--I love them! Thank you so much!” Kara exclaims, taking them from Lena and immediately ushering her inside. Lena watches as she bustles around her kitchen finding a place to put the flowers, all frantic limbs and nervous fingers and giggly laughter. Finally, after stems are cut and water is poured, she looks up at Lena with a satisfied smile. Lena’s heart skips.

_These are so beautiful! I didn’t get her anything. Oh I should have gotten her something!_

“Kara, you look absolutely delightful,” Lena smiles, extending her hand and trying to help soothe Kara’s panicked thoughts, “Shall we go?”

Kara looks at her hand briefly before folding her own warm fingers between Lena’s own. It feels right, and perfect, and Lena’s cheeks flush slightly at the electricity that seems to flow between them. Kara takes a gulp and looks at her hesitatingly, with a gorgeous nervous smile as they walk to the elevator.

Lena is standing too close to Kara in the elevator, and somehow not close enough, as she begins to feel very conscious of every single one of her movements, and every single one of her thoughts. She isn’t used to feeling so awkward, or so deliberate with every breath, but this is a new kind of terrifying territory. There are no rules here, and even a billionaire genius can’t always find the answers when it comes to the pure, elusive questions of the heart. She feels a trace of warmth radiating off Kara naturally, like she’s carrying her own personal sunshine under her coat, and Lena leans instinctively closer just to bask in it for a moment longer. She wants to find something to say - anything really, but for once in her life, she’s at a loss for words.

_Say something. Ask her something. Stop being so awkward!_

It seems Kara is having the same dilemma, and Lena looks down at the floor and smiles to herself.

“I hope you’re hungry--” Lena starts, just as Kara begins to speak as well.

“I’m so hungry!--”

They both look at each other, eyes wide and cheeks flushed, before dissolving into charmed giggles and nervous smiles.

The car ride to the restaurant is a bit more relaxed, as the two sit together in the back, knees brushing against each other every so often, talking idly about their days. Kara tells Lena about her latest woes with CatCo and her current article for Snapper, doing a particularly accurate impression of his bloated, grumpy face. Lena finds herself genuinely laughing for the first time in far too long.

“I shouldn’t make fun of him too much, he’s giving me a chance after all.” Kara says remorsefully once the laughter has died down, adjusting her glasses and giving Lena a sideways hopeful glance.

_I don’t want her to think I’m ungrateful. I’m not. That probably wasn’t a good joke. But she laughed. Maybe that’s okay…._

“Well, your secret’s safe with me,” Lena promises, reaching out and gently placing her hand on top of Kara’s, trying her best to convey all the sincerity in her words. She knows they’re testing the waters here, feeling each other out for what is okay to say, and what they can get away with. She wants Kara to feel safe, even if it’s with her. A Luthor. Someone she probably has no business trusting in the first place. They lock eyes for a second, and Kara smiles that smile that crinkles the corners of her eyes and makes her entire face light up, as if she knows what Lena is trying to say. It’s the one that Lena’s heart can’t handle, as it flutters and collapses on itself, just a little bit.

They pull up to the front of the restaurant, catching a glimpse of the front entrance before the driver turns down another alley. Kara looks around, confusion on her face, but Lena just offers a calm smile back at her that seems to ease her nerves. They get out of the car, Lena taking the lead with Kara following closely at her side, before they are ushered inside the private side entrance where no one can pay them any mind. Kara turns and looks at Lena with a different look than before. It’s awe-struck and wide-eyed and open-mouthed, as if she’s putting together some pieces of a puzzle that Lena hopes she didn’t just ruin by trying to be discrete.

_So this is what it’s like to go out with Lena Luthor. Impressive._

Lena wants to respond to the silent, passing thought, refuting that she’s “impressive” and merely just paranoid and passively considerate, but the moment is fleeting and interrupted by the restaurant’s owner coming to greet them.

“Ms. Luthor, it’s a pleasure to see you here again!” he announces, coming toward them from the front of the restaurant. “We have your table all set for you, this way!”

“Thank you, Dante. Good to see you again,” Lena nods her head softly, and offers a smile, before following him to the back corner.

They get settled without much fuss, and no one has even turned to bat an eye at Lena, which helps ease her anxiety. She hears the whispers around the city and is used to fending off curious stares and hostile grumblings, but tonight is just a quiet, ordinary night, with a not-so-ordinary date. She exhales in relief and opens her menu, smiling softly at Kara whose face is illuminated by the dancing shadows of warm candlelight, giving her an almost ethereal glow.

 _How are you even real?_ Lena finds herself thinking, trying to be subtle without overtly staring, but struggling to keep her eyes off Kara’s lips.

 _Who are you, Lena Luthor?_ Kara’s thoughts are loud, as the two lock eyes bashfully over menus, before flittering away to look at anything else, afraid to get lost in the moment.

A few silent moments pass before Kara’s mind wanders back to fretting and worrying. Lena pretends not to notice as she listens intently.

_Everything on this menu is so expensive! Ok, it’s fine, I’ll just...order whatever she orders. Thank Rao I ate before this._

Lena’s brow unconsciously upticks as she contemplates. _Rao?_ _That’s a curious turn of phrase._

At the same time, she hopes she didn’t overdo it with the fancy restaurant and the dimly lit atmosphere and the pre-ordered bottles of wine, but she isn’t really used to having to impress someone she could see herself caring about. She watches Kara continue to scour the menu with a crinkle of confusion, before she decides to help ease her burden.

“I know this menu is daunting. The first time I came here, I had no idea where to even start. But this is my treat, Kara, so what do you say we get a bunch of things to try? I think I can find some things you’ll really like.”

_She’s paying? I can’t...but then again I can’t really afford this otherwise. I--okay. We’ll deal with that after. Play it cool._

“How do you know what I like?” Kara leans forward, her eyelashes fluttering slightly, and Lena feels the warmth flood her chest as she accepts the teasing words.

“I think I have some ideas,” Lena bites her lip slightly, staring up at Kara with a mischievous smile, “But you’ll have to put your culinary fate in my hands. Do you think you can trust me?”

Kara sits back in her chair, staring at Lena with a tight lipped smile and narrow eyes, like she’s assessing her capabilities before bursting into a full on grin.

“I think I can do that,” she says finally, and Lena bows her head in acceptance.

_Please don’t go overboard with vegetables. I can only fake it for so long before she’ll be insulted. There’s so much kale on this menu. Oh Rao. Is she vegan?_

Lena almost chokes on her water as Kara’s panicked thoughts run in circles again, fearing for her life over some extra green side dishes. She wants to laugh but she forces herself to swallow gracefully. The waiter approaches and she runs down the menu, making a point to order a few of the fried items that she’d normally skip, and several items with meat, just for good measure.

“How did I do?” Lena asks smugly, twisting her lips into an assured smile.

“Not too bad, although this place is missing potstickers, but I can’t fault you for that.” Kara takes a sip of her water and looks at Lena with amusement.

“Potstickers?”

“Please tell me you’ve tried them!”

Lena shakes her head.

“Oh! You have to. There’s this little restaurant around the corner from CatCo. They have, like, the most incredible potstickers on the planet!” Kara smiles and her eyes crinkle in excitement. “I mean it, you have to go!”

“I’ll be sure to have that noted for next time.” Lena promises, and Kara beams at her like she just committed to something sacred. “All those potstickers and yet you manage to stay in such great shape?” Lena muses, leaning forward with a conspiratory gleam in her eye, “What’s your secret, Ms. Danvers?”

They’re briefly interrupted by the waiter returning, showcasing a cabernet and making a scene uncorking the bottle, allowing Lena to taste it for good measure.

“My--my secret?” Kara noticeably hesitates, fidgeting with her napkin, and Lena watches her curiously.

 _What secret? How could she know--? Oh. Oh it’s just a phrase. A joke._  

Lena twists her lips in confusion, trying to understand Kara’s dilemma, before Kara waves her hand, scoffing happily at the compliment. “Just a fast metabolism I guess!”

“Well that’s lucky!” Lena grins, not entirely convinced, but choosing to ignore it for now. Instead she holds out her glass for Kara to meet with her own. “Cheers to that, and to you, Kara. I’m really glad we could do this tonight.”

“Me too, Lena.”

Kara tilts her head and stares at her like she really means it, and Lena feels her cheeks flush under Kara’s strong, warm gaze. Their glasses clink and the liquid is soothing down her throat, as she feels Kara’s eyes linger on her a little longer.

_This feels like a dream._

_Yes, it really does,_ Lena thinks to herself, nodding in agreement to words unspoken.

“It’s a wonder that the CEO of L-Corp has time to even go out to dinner,” Kara ruminates, her eyes searching for something beneath the surface.“What is it that they say? Money never sleeps?”

“Well, I figured you were worth the extra effort,” Lena quirks a teasing eyebrow, calling out Kara for her boldness.“Though I do enjoy my job, for what it’s worth.”

“And you’re happy?” Kara asks. It’s direct, and at first pass, it seems like a loaded question, but Lena feels in her heart that Kara is truly asking without prying for family details. She wants to know Lena. The real Lena, not the tabloid Luthor.

She pauses to contemplate before responding.

“Truthfully, I miss the R&D side of things the most. The lab is where my best work really shines through,” Lena’s eyes widen as a devilish smirk appears across her lips. She leans forward knowingly. “I’m a fan of experimenting, you know? I’ve been known to cause a lot of small explosions in my time.”

Kara’s breath hitches and Lena doesn’t need to read thoughts to see the reaction. She grins as she takes a sip of wine.

“That certainly explains a lot,” Kara remarks, and Lena’s eyes snap to hers. “I mean the work ethic and the experiments, not the--uh-- explosions--” Kara hastily backtracks, and Lena shakes her head.

“You certainly make a wonderful reporter, Kara,” Lena says, and she may be biased, but no one else could ever get her to open up the way Kara does.

_If only every subject of my articles were as interesting as you._

Lena has never felt like this before. She’s used to people being intimidated of her based on presumptions versus justified actions. It comes in handy only occasionally, but lends itself to a lonely social life. She used to convince herself she was fine if people were scared of her. Not now. Not Kara.

_Do I have something on my face? She’s staring. Oh no, that’d be so embarrassing._

Lena’s eyes widen as she catches herself once again staring intently at Kara. She grins sheepishly, blinking rapidly and lowering her gaze back down to the table. Fortunately, the waiter returns with several rounds of appetizers in order to distract from the awkward moment.

They divide up the plates and begin piling things up to try, which gives them something else to focus on besides the mounting sexual tension. Kara seems to be really enjoying the food, closing her eyes and savoring each bite, and Lena finds that watching her is more fun than partaking herself. She leans back and sips her wine, a delighted smile on her lips.

_How does she make drinking wine look so...good? Do I want wine? Do I want to be wine? I think I’m jealous of the glass. Her lips. Stop staring at her lips._

Kara has stopped eating long enough to stare again, and Lena takes the opportunity to slowly roll her tongue over her lower lip before biting down on it gently, eyeing Kara with narrow, pointed eyes as she does. Kara reaches for her glass of water and pretends to stare across the room at nothing particularly interesting.

_I wonder...what it would be like...if I could just…._

Kara’s phone buzzes once, twice, several times, before Lena’s eyes wander curiously to the source. Kara jolts herself from her thoughts and her cheeks flush as she fishes it out of her purse.

“I’m so sorry, Lena, I have to take this, I’ll be right back.” Kara says hurriedly as she stares at the caller ID with a concerned face. She gets up and speeds away from the table as fast as her legs can carry her. Lena unabashedly watches Kara go, her head tilted in guilty pleasure as she takes the sight of her sculpted legs and perfectly toned arms. _I hate to see you go, but I definitely don’t mind watching you leave._

Lena tries to quell her curiosity, deciding instead to tune in to some of the rambling thoughts from the women around her that she had previously been able to ignore while with Kara. There’s a lot of fretting and worrying over mundane things, a few awkward first dates, and one woman sipping wine in the corner, reading a particularly erotic book, based on what Lena can gather from her colorful mind’s eye. She smirks to herself, thankful to be hearing those thoughts by herself and not in front of Kara. Although...

_Right now? Seriously? This is the worst timing ever. Now I have to make up some excuse to leave._

Kara’s thoughts cut into her own, interrupting what was sure to be a delicious trip down fantasy lane. Lena begins to clench her jaw, swallowing the disappointment of being caught so off guard. Kara seems genuine, and distraught, but also about to lie to get out of the rest of the evening. Lena had been under the impression that this was going well, but Kara pulling such a classic dine-and-ditch with a friend on speed dial is making her rethink her position on that front. She sits back in her chair smugly, waiting for Kara to return, curious to hear what kind of excuse she comes up with. Lena feels the defensive walls beginning to go up, and she doesn’t try to stop them.

“Lena, I’m so sorry--” Kara begins, fidgeting with her hands, eyeing her like a puppy who knows they’re in trouble.

“But you have to leave? It’s fine, Kara, truly.” Lena responds, her voice colder than intended. She’s trying to cover up the hurt she feels, but failing miserably. She doesn’t want to take it out on Kara, but at the same time, it would have been better if she was just honest. Kara should have just said she didn’t want to be here, then maybe Lena wouldn’t be left with so many questions. The frustration simmers in her chest as she catches the hypocrisy in the situation. _Pot? Meet kettle._

“I-- I really don’t want to go, but I don’t have a choice--” Kara stutters, staring at her with those deep azure eyes that somehow make Lena’s heart flutter and pause. “I--”

Kara checks her phone again, her forehead crinkled in such desperation that Lena finds herself truly wondering if this is a ruse.

_I really hope I can make it on time. This alien isn’t as fast as the last one. If I cut around back through the alley, I can change and take off, and no one will see. I think if I fly Southeast I can get down to the pier quicker._

“I’m so sorry. Please just-- I’ll make it up to you. I promise!”

_Oh Rao, Lena is going to hate me. I have to explain to her sometime. I will. I’ll find a way. She deserves to know._

Lena watches with new eyes as Kara effortlessly darts out of the restaurant. Gone are the stumbling, rambling, hesitant steps, replaced by strong determined strides and assured confidence in every movement. Lena sees the transformation as clear as if Kara wore the cape in front of her, and Lena’s heart begins to pound with new realization. She sits back in her chair, completely numb and unaware of her surroundings, her eyes glazing over as she thinks about how this is at all possible.

_I just went on a date with Supergirl._

**Author's Note:**

> keeper of the keys at the luthor mansion, come rage... @stennnn06


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